Iran is set to begin enriching uranium and plans to build 10 new facilities over the next year where enrichment can be carried out, the head of the country’s atomic energy organisation has said.
Speaking to al-Alam, Iran’s Arabic-language state television station, Ali Akbar Salehi said that Iran would begin enriching uranium to a level of 20 per cent by Tuesday.
“We will hand over an official letter to the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) tomorrow, informing the agency that we will start making 20 per cent enriched fuel from Tuesday at the Natanz plant,” he said.
The announcement is likely to cause friction with the US and its allies who accuse Iran of trying to build a nuclear weapons.
Iran says its nuclear programme is for purely civilian purposes.
Iran had announced plans to build 10 new enrichment plants in a major expansion of its atomic programme in November, but at the time did not specify the timeframe.
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